wesbed Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 A friend and I were in friendly argument about whether a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth. I made the comment that the same dog's mouth that licks my friend's face is the same dog's mouth that licked it's own dog's ass. My friend, who likes dogs and doesn't mind being licked by them, said that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth because dogs pant. I made the comment that dogs are mammals, enjoy much the same type of diet as humans, don't brush their teeth, and have bad breath. Why would dogs have a cleaner mouth? >article link< Would you rather be bitten by a dog or by a human? Well, neither of course, but if you had to choose, which would it be? According to a widespread notion, a dog bite is the better choice since a canine mouth is cleaner than a human mouth. Is this true? Well, yes and no. When we talk about the cleanliness of a mouth, we're really talking about the amount and type of bacteria it contains. The kind of bacteria found in a human mouth and a dog mouth depend on what's been there recently. Unlike dogs, humans typically do not eat raw meat, garbage, and small animals in various states of decay. Given a dog that just locked its jaws around a decomposing squirrel, we might say that the dog's mouth is, for the moment, less clean than a human mouth that has not recently housed a dead squirrel. And since the squirrel-eating dog may pick up disease-causing bacteria from the dead animal, a bite from that dog may pass on dangerous germs. But insofar as a clean mouth means one that is less likely to cause disease, consider that germs tend to be species specific. Harmful dog germs are usually harmless for humans, unless we're talking about rabies, a disease that affects dogs and people in equally damaging ways. But generally, humans are immune to most dog germs. Likewise, human germs probably won't harm a dog. But human germs can harm humans, of course. So a bite from a human mouth full of harmful bacteria may very well be more damaging than a dog bite, even if the dog's mouth is full of harmful dog germs. Quote
ralphie_boy Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I don't know. I brush my dog's teeth on a fairly regular basis and I don't mind when he gives me a big kiss. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 That same dog is outside eating crap in the street. Plus, did you ever get a whiff of a dog's breath? It sure smell as if he was just licking his ass. How could it possibly be cleaner? Unless someone is licking his own ass. Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 As a kid I took many bike wipe-outs and one nasty one in particular left the knees completely thrashed. Well being just a kid I did not stop my grandmother's mutt from having at those knobs as I figured it better than a good dousing of mercurochrome. YEEOWWW! After a good canine inspired debriding the knees healed perfectly in short of a couple days! That dog was an evangelist. And having been bitten good by our kitten when fetching it out from under the oil tank in the cellar I can say that after fingers doubled in size and nasty anti-biotics took a good two weeks gimme a dog anytime. Quote
Dan Gould Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 (edited) I don't know if a dog's mouth is cleaner or not, but so long as he hasn't been licking his own ass in the last five minutes, he's welcome to lick my face as much as he wants. Edited April 9, 2004 by Dan Gould Quote
sheldonm Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 ....the whole "ass licking" thing creeps me out ! Quote
Upright Bill Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I have two greyhounds, they get their teeth brushed almost daily. I love them dearly. I would be happy to let them kiss me. However, they don't kiss, they lick. No thank you very much. Quote
Dan Gould Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 I have two greyhounds, they get their teeth brushed almost daily. I love them dearly. I would be happy to let them kiss me. However, they don't kiss, they lick. No thank you very much. Licking is a doggie kiss. If you haven't been kissed by your dog, you haven't truly felt the love he feels for his master. Quote
BeBop Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 My dog's mouth is definitely cleaner. I've never heard him say *$#^%&* or $(@. Not even +_()_@*! My teenage nephew, on the other hand... Quote
Dan Gould Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 And I am sure it was purely an oversight or a lack of space that kept Charles Schultz from completing his thought that "Happiness is a warm puppy (licking your face)" Quote
catesta Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 After a good canine inspired debriding the knees healed perfectly in short of a couple days! That dog was an evangelist. I send my Chihuahua for a cleaning every year. I have a difficult time brushing her teeth, so I give her those green chew bones from the Vet's office. Her mouth is in AAA condition, and the breath smells okey dokey. Licking to show love has always been a big part of her personality, no way I could ever change that. Quote
J Larsen Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Doesn't their saliva contain a lot of enzymes lacking in humans for breaking down food particles (or whatever else) is sticking to their teeth and gums? Quote
catesta Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Whose ass is cleaner? I'd like to think mine is. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Why does a dog lick his balls? Because he can. Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2004 Report Posted April 9, 2004 Why does a dog lick his balls? To get to the other side. Quote
Upright Bill Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 I have two greyhounds, they get their teeth brushed almost daily. I love them dearly. I would be happy to let them kiss me. However, they don't kiss, they lick. No thank you very much. Licking is a doggie kiss. If you haven't been kissed by your dog, you haven't truly felt the love he feels for his master. They "kiss" my wife. I'll take mine by proxy. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 I think dogs do have some enzymes that aid in healing. That's why they lick their wounds... it cleans them out and helps them heal. I don't mind dog licks or kisses. I don't think a doggie kiss has ever killed anyone. My ass is pretty clean, by the way. :rsmile: Quote
JSngry Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 Summarizing the various thoughts expressed in this thread, it seems that if a dog licks your ass, it will then be clean enough for you wife to kiss. Is that what I'm hearing? Quote
Jazzmoose Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 No, what you're hearing is your wife's growling as she reads over your shoulder... Quote
JSngry Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 LTB NEVER growls - she hums in a panoply of finely nuanced sonants, none more fine, none more nuanced, and, definitely, none more sonatic than when the kissing of somebody's ass is the matter at hand. Quote
mikeweil Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 So she changed her mode of operation? Quote
Jazzmoose Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 Anyway, back to the rotating punchline... Why does a dog lick his balls? To keep his "pants" up... Quote
Gary Posted April 10, 2004 Report Posted April 10, 2004 Summarizing the various thoughts expressed in this thread, it seems that if a dog licks your ass, it will then be clean enough for you wife to kiss. Is that what I'm hearing? The funniest post so far on organissimo. Quote
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